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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-06-2014 04:07 PM

jbrady33

How's it going? Any updates?

10-10-2013 10:05 PM

pianofish

All your base,

I've been struggling with the same diatoms, long filamentous diatoms that come back just about every day. I do EI dosing. It really stunk for a while cleaning out gunk every other day, but its gotten alot better. Just a little gunk at the end of each week. Decreasing my obnoxious flow and increasing my co2 helped alot.

10-10-2013 07:11 AM

thelub

I vote paludarium with spitters

10-08-2013 03:41 PM

Phil Edwards

Are you going to turn this into one gigantic terrarium/paludarium?

10-08-2013 03:35 PM

jbrady33

Quote:

Originally Posted by All your base

Last few photos before the tank's next major shift in direction:

Clown puke gravel and the largest aquarium castle ever? With a bubble powered treasure chest and diver?

10-08-2013 02:15 PM

All your base

No that is not a typo.

The tank is very nice as-is but honestly it's not EXACTLY what I want. I've spent the last few weeks deliberating over what fish to replace the neons with and I've come to the realization that adding specific fish won't be what captures my attention. Let's just say I've grown too attached to emergent growth.

10-08-2013 02:11 PM

All your base

Last few photos before the tank's next major shift in direction:

08-26-2013 06:48 PM

Hilde

Quote:

Originally Posted by All your base

I got real busy and didn't dose ferts for a week. The slimy brown diatom-like growth went away. I dosed again, just for a day or two, the next week. Stopped dosing. It went away.

Plantbrain (Tom Barr) said that in low light tanks less nutrients are absorbed by the plants. Perhaps this is why you no longer need ferts. Which is good when you are busy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by All your base

Maybe the neons I had were just extra sensitive or something?

I haven't been able to keep neon's alive in my tank. I read that others were having a problem with them, for they are not as hardy as they used to be.

08-26-2013 05:38 PM

Phil Edwards

All your base,

First off, I want to say your name gave me a good chuckle. I'm from the generation where that saying was one of the big deals. Love it!

Secondly, that's one hell of a system. I normally don't like a lot of DIY in an aquarium, but wow, what a sleek and well designed entire system. Well done!

Lastly, before I go back to read the thread , I once had a boss (reef hobbyist) at an aquatics shop who said "Reef tanks are the neon signs of the aquatics highway and planted tanks are the rest stops." after seeing what I did with the planted displays in the store. Your initial post about the "in your face-ness" of reefs reminded me of that.

Now, to go read both (RC and TPT) build threads.

Regards,
Phil

08-26-2013 05:27 PM

All your base

Honestly I am still baffled. I've had this same CO2 rig (tank, reg, needle valve, diffuser) on smaller tanks with poor surface agitation and when the tank dumped the fish would get a little loopy but no harm done. This tank is gigantic and very slow to react to CO2 changes - it takes a few hours to come up to concentration after the CO2 turns on. So I figured it wouldn't even notice a tank dump.

Maybe the neons I had were just extra sensitive or something? Anyways I am surprised. For now I'm just going to leave CO2 off as I don't care about explosive growth and I have no pest algae to speak of. If I do decide to start using it I'll probably spring for a dual stage reg. And maybe a bigger tank, or at least a second tank.

08-26-2013 05:09 PM

andyl9063

Quote:

Originally Posted by All your base

Nope, cheapo single stage. Yes, I shoulda known better. This is the only reg I've ever used on planted tanks. In the past, when a CO2 tank dumped, it would spike the CO2 but not enough to actually do any harm. I had assumed that this very large aquarium with tons of surface area and a fair amount of surface agitation would be far more able to handle a CO2 dump without a dangerous CO2 spike but clearly I was wrong.

yeah, when you're dealing with a lot of livestock, its highly recommend lol.
Luckily it was only neons and not 10 discus....
but go for discus!!!!! i have it and they're awesome

08-26-2013 04:55 PM

All your base

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyl9063

you had a co2 tank dump? Did you have a dual-stage regulator?

Nope, cheapo single stage. Yes, I shoulda known better. This is the only reg I've ever used on planted tanks. In the past, when a CO2 tank dumped, it would spike the CO2 but not enough to actually do any harm. I had assumed that this very large aquarium with tons of surface area and a fair amount of surface agitation would be far more able to handle a CO2 dump without a dangerous CO2 spike but clearly I was wrong.

08-26-2013 04:51 PM

andyl9063

Quote:

Originally Posted by All your base

I guess I am way overdue for an update. Things have been progressing in a mostly good, sometimes frustrating manner, which I guess is the way it goes when you're dealing with living things.

Anyways, right after my last update I got real busy and didn't dose ferts for a week. The slimy brown diatom-like growth went away. I dosed again, just for a day or two, the next week. It came back. Stopped dosing. It went away. So, guess what? No more fert dosing for me. Even after my treatise a few months ago on dosing theory, I had basically defaulted to EI dosing with a weekly water change. Now I've basically stopped both and things are happy, though growing a little slower. Which honestly is OK with me.

Then disaster struck. About a week ago my CO2 tank ran empty and spiked. It killed at least 30 or 40 of the neons, but the other fish all survived. So now I have a rather empty tank again. I really liked the neons so I may just restock with them, or whatever other small cheap fish the LFS has in stock. I really loved the whole "giant swarm of tiny fish" thing. That's something I never got with marine aquariums, so I think I'm going to stick with it in here.

That's pretty much it. I'll get a photo when I get a chance but it looks about the same, plus a LOT of growth. The tiger lotuses have done their usual thing and taken over with surface leaves, which I am going to leave for now since they look really cool and create a patchwork of light/dark areas which adds interest.

The tank is pretty much on auto pilot where all I'm doing is feeding, which is right where I want it. Summer is busy, and I have another hobby project gearing up, so I don't really have the time for a lot of maintenance anyways.

Oh, one last thing. I feel like I have to mention an indirect benefit of the tank's overall design/construction. The top is eurobraced with plywood, so of course it's opaque. This means there's essentially a shield around the rim that blocks light from hitting the sides of the tank. This in turn means the glass gets very little light, so it doesn't grow a film of algae. The tank has been wet for a few months now and I have yet to clean the glass ONE SINGLE TIME.

you had a co2 tank dump? Did you have a dual-stage regulator?

08-26-2013 02:58 PM

All your base

I guess I am way overdue for an update. Things have been progressing in a mostly good, sometimes frustrating manner, which I guess is the way it goes when you're dealing with living things.

Anyways, right after my last update I got real busy and didn't dose ferts for a week. The slimy brown diatom-like growth went away. I dosed again, just for a day or two, the next week. It came back. Stopped dosing. It went away. So, guess what? No more fert dosing for me. Even after my treatise a few months ago on dosing theory, I had basically defaulted to EI dosing with a weekly water change. Now I've basically stopped both and things are happy, though growing a little slower. Which honestly is OK with me.

Then disaster struck. About a week ago my CO2 tank ran empty and spiked. It killed at least 30 or 40 of the neons, but the other fish all survived. So now I have a rather empty tank again. I really liked the neons so I may just restock with them, or whatever other small cheap fish the LFS has in stock. I really loved the whole "giant swarm of tiny fish" thing. That's something I never got with marine aquariums, so I think I'm going to stick with it in here.

That's pretty much it. I'll get a photo when I get a chance but it looks about the same, plus a LOT of growth. The tiger lotuses have done their usual thing and taken over with surface leaves, which I am going to leave for now since they look really cool and create a patchwork of light/dark areas which adds interest.

The tank is pretty much on auto pilot where all I'm doing is feeding, which is right where I want it. Summer is busy, and I have another hobby project gearing up, so I don't really have the time for a lot of maintenance anyways.

Oh, one last thing. I feel like I have to mention an indirect benefit of the tank's overall design/construction. The top is eurobraced with plywood, so of course it's opaque. This means there's essentially a shield around the rim that blocks light from hitting the sides of the tank. This in turn means the glass gets very little light, so it doesn't grow a film of algae. The tank has been wet for a few months now and I have yet to clean the glass ONE SINGLE TIME.

07-26-2013 07:27 PM

jbrady33

How about an even 1,000 chili rasboras?

How's it coming along?

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